CONQUERING THAT TO-DO LIST - Part 2

Guest Author: Beverly Zibrak, President of the Word Doc, Brookline, MA

Continued from 1/17/15 post . . .

Break Down Daunting Tasks - Break down big daunting tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks of activities that can be crossed off in a timely manner.  Some people prefer to tackle the harder tasks first in the day, so that you get a good sense of satisfaction in completing them.

Conquer the "Dregs" - Write down your "dreg" list, those mundane activities that appear on your list day after day.  Then divide it in to three categories:  a "hard" pile, a "nonessential" pile, and a "don't want to do" pile.  Ask for help on the "hard" pile, check with a colleague on the "nonessential" pile, and delegate items in the "don't want to do" pile.  If you work alone, make these decisions on your own.  You may still be able to get help on some of these tasks or eliminate them completely.

Reprioritize Your List Throughout the Day - When something inevitably happens and deters you from your to-do list, take some time and refocus your list.  You may be able to put an essential task off until the next day.

More tips next month!

Beverly Zibrak is President of the Word Doc, a writing and editing services firm dedicated to helping small business with all their communication needs, including web content development, press releases and marketing communications, and blog posts.  You can reach Beverly at www.worddocusa.com.